Is it just me, or have others discovered that turning sixty is a time of liberation, authenticity, and a new sense of freedom? I know I am a late bloomer as I have spent my previous decades, particularly between twenty and fifty, feeling I was in the thick of life’s experiences. I did the best I could balancing the work, parenting, and life juggling act. At times feeling I failed miserably at the task.
Yet once I turned sixty I suddenly felt an urgency to find myself and to gain a new level of clarity on my life. To ‘pull myself together’ so to speak. It is only now that I have found my voice – to write and speak about women’s journey. As an introvert and observer, perhaps I needed all the life experience of the previous decades to truly crystallize my thoughts and step into my own wisdom.
At sixty I set off on a personal adventure – going full circle back to where I grew up. It was going to be either a courageous or foolish action. Thankfully, it was the beginning of the former as I truly stepped into who I am. Several years later, the year 2020 certainly became a year of clarity and vision for me. I have had the opportunity to start my blog, connect women in community and recently speak at a conference. I am actually marveling at the personal transformation that has occurred. Those around me have been witness to the changes and I am so thankful for each of their parts in my story.
This is what I would like to share with those yet to reach this milestone.
- It becomes a wonderful time to ask the question Who am I now?, What are my present desires and dreams?, What beautiful questions remain, now that I have achieved most of my younger self’s ambitions? (Thank you to David Whyte – ‘Half a Shade Braver’ for posing these questions)
- There is more time to stay physically fit and active. It adds to the enjoyment of our lives. At sixty you are at the sweet spot of still feeling the possibility of the ‘fit and healthy’ label and you can be an inspiration for others who are younger. Retiring early and continuing to stay active is apparently great for longevity.
- It’s easier to stay connected and organise catch ups and trips with friends. Particularly as they retire and life becomes slower and has a sense of ease.
- We have the opportunity to drop the perfectionist and ‘superhero’ image of ourselves and become more real and disappointing to others. We each know a thousand ways where we have made a mess of it. We have lived through heartbreak and disappointment in our past, so now we are ready to grieve the past fully so we can move on. It allows us to be more authentic people, content and comfortable to be ourselves around others.
- Alternatives to where we live and what we do each day present themselves. Life choices become more flexible. If we want to change locality either temporarily or permanently we have more freedom to follow this choice. We might be exploring new destinations, spending time with family and friends or volunteering in projects. Its so much easier to follow the seasons without the commitments of work and family.
- We have mastered skills and knowledge to a point where we are a valuable resource to others. Although we may have retired from our professions, we don’t retire from life. We can continue to mentor, consult, or design courses to utilize our talents in serving others. It can also be a time to learn new skills that intrigue us. With time on our hands, our days can turn into times of deep immersion and flow with self-driven passions and interests.
Turning sixty is a time of stepping into the roles of elder: wise women and men, matriarchs, and patriarchs of our families and communities. If we hide our acquired wisdom rather than share it with others, it becomes lost. We need to remain relevant, active role models and advocates for those who will follow. Let’s be remembered and leave our legacy. It is time for our voices and life experience to be shared.
If you have reached this milestone, what has been your experience of turning sixty? I would love your reflections in the comments below.